DPWH eyes Otis Bridge rehab done by Christmas

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will give its “best effort” to complete the rehabilitation on the 80-meter-long Otis Bridge before Christmas Day, an official said yesterday.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar “wants us to finish by December in anticipation of the Christmas season traffic since there is a higher volume of containerized cargo trucks that would be passing through the Otis Bridge, specially since only half of the Concordia Bridge, which is also being repaired, is passable to motorists,” DPWH-National Capital Region director Melvin Navarro said.

He said the December deadline would be doable if they would have a “trouble- free” working conditions such as the entire Otis Bridge being completely closed to all types of vehicles and if they finish installing the eight bored piles, which would serve as the foundation of the bridge, within two months.

He also said they would be more concerned about the water flow of the Pasig River during heavy rains since they would be installing the bored piles underwater.

He also praised the contractor CJ Leoncio Contractor who is undertaking the project and to continue working with the 2016 approved allocated budget of P37 million.

The bridge was closed to traffic on June 26 after officials noticed damaged girders or beams that support the structure.